(no subject)
Just got this blurb from the Air America site...
Earlier this month a federal judge threw out the only jury conviction the Justice Department has obtained on a terrorism charge since 9/11. According to the Nation's David Cole "the Detroit case had marked the only terrorist conviction obtained from the Justice Department's detention of more than 5,000 foreign nationals in anti-terrorism sweeps since 9/11. So Ashcroft's record is 0 for 5,000. When the attorney general was locking these men up in the immediate wake of the attacks, he held almost daily press conferences to announce how many 'suspected terrorists' had been detained. No press conference has been forthcoming to announce that exactly none of them have turned out to be actual terrorists.
Read the full story here:
http://www.alternet.org/rights/19948/
Friends,
Professors teaching in business schools are signing a declaration which
includes this statement:
We cannot remain silent as the Administration harnesses the power of
government to serve the special interests of the super-rich at the expense of
ordinary, working Americans. Most of our students stand to lose as their
workplaces become more dangerous, their jobs less secure,
their freedom of expression more constrained. Even an MBA degree cannot save
you when the most powerful state on earth wages class war on its working
people.
http://dcjacobs.home.netcom.com/BushLabor.html
Bush Says Iraq Is Going Great, but the Facts Say Otherwise
You Can Help Get the Facts Out
Dear Amy:
President Bush tells us that “Our strategy is succeeding … Iraq is headed toward democracy ... Freedom is on the march.” This from the guy who told us that American troops would be greeted with parades as liberators and “Mission Accomplished. ”
The facts say otherwise. Bush’s own CIA recently reported to him that the best case in Iraq is a protracted quagmire and the worst case is a full-blown civil war. Yet Bush continues the sunny spin.
In a democracy, the people are entitled to know what’s going on so that we can form our own opinions and take action. No wonder this government seeks to keep the facts from the people.
But U.S. senators, both Democrats and Republicans, are calling for the public release of the facts in that CIA analysis, known as the National Intelligence Estimate. Respected senators Bob Graham (D-FL) and John McCain (R-AZ) have read it and know that Americans deserve to know what’s in it too. Of course, it would have the secret stuff taken out; no one wants to make things worse. But the truth of how we got into this mess, what’s happening on the ground there now and how this is going to play out should all be available to the people.
Here’s what you can do. Together with our friends at MoveOn and Working Assets, TrueMajority is pushing for public disclosure of the facts about the quagmire in Iraq. We’re working to get this issue into the media, and a great way to g et it widely read is through the Letters to the Editor section of your local paper. Letters to the editor are heavily read and really help to get people thinking and acting. And we’ve made it really easy for you to get your views published.
To send a letter to the editor of your paper (either one we’ve helped write or, better yet, one of your own, perhaps using the talking points we provide), just click here:
http://action.truemajority.org/l2e/index.asp?cp=25
Yours in uncovering the truth,
Ben
To learn more about the CIA’s report and why it needs to be made fully public, check out
New York Times: U.S. Intelligence Shows Pessimism on Iraq’s Future (9/16/04)
http://www.occupationwatch.org/article.php?id=6824
Washington Post editorial: Mr. Bush and Iraq (9/18/04)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32161-2004Sep18.html
The Guardian (UK): Far Graver Than Vietnam (9/16/04)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1305360,00.html
Dear Amy Truax,
Take Action
Help us spread the word about President Bush's failed record and John Kerry's plan for a stronger America.
George Bush and Dick Cheney are spending day after day on the campaign trail trashing John Kerry and John Edwards and ignoring their own miserable record on issues that matter to people like you and me. But Bush and Cheney aren't just ignoring their failed record -- they are ignoring the millions of people that have been hurt by their failed policies and poor decisions.
That's why we need your help right now. Here's how you can help: write a short letter to the editor of your local newspaper, magazine, or favorite publication.
http://www..democrats.org/contrasts/
It's not just that Bush has lost more than 1.5 million jobs since he took office -- you already knew that. It's not just that health care costs have skyrocketed during the last four years and Bush has done nothing to prevent it -- you already knew that. It's not just that Bush asked for our trust so he could keep the peace and then rushed to war -- you already knew that..
The point is that real people suffer because of Bush's wrong decisions. America can do better -- and John Kerry, John Edwards, and our other Democratic candidates will make sure that we do.
Now it's up to you to tell your friends, your family and your community.
http://www..democrats.org/contrasts/
We make it easy for you to write your letter, with:
Contrasts of Bush's record and John Kerry's plan on the top issues.
Sample letters to the editor.
The Bush record in your state.
A simple step-by-step tool for sending your letter.
You know America can do better -- make sure your community does too. Write a letter today.
http://www..democrats.org/contrasts/
39 Days to the Election: Seeking Real Answers in the Presidential Debates
The Presidential and Vice Presidential debates will begin September 30 in Florida with a debate focusing primarily on domestic policy issues (see schedule below). While the campaigns fill the airwaves and newspapers with negative ads and high-pitched rhetoric, many voters are looking for substantive answers to questions about the Iraq war, social programs, and our nation’s future. The debates give us an opportunity to hear the candidates address one another and speak to issues that have been poorly addressed by the candidates and campaigns so far.
What will they do to reduce U.S. dependence on oil?
What will they do to assure quality, affordable health care, education, housing, and child care for the poor, working poor, and most vulnerable?
How will they address the looming insolvency of the Medicare and Social Security trust funds?
How will they pay for these initiatives?
What will they do to protect and restore civil liberties?
What will they do to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow global warming?
Act Now: Organize a debate viewing party. Invite local reporters to cover your responses to the debate. Local reporters are always looking for local angles on national debates. Invite them to your debate watch event.
Make your event interesting for reporters:
Make it an interfaith event. Show how seriously faith communities take this election.
Organize a youth or student event at a school or on a campus.
Bring young and old together to demonstrate intergenerational unity.
Include immigrants who are new citizens and new voters.
Invite people who have been directly affected by issues at stake in this election, such as civil liberties and the war in Iraq.
Use a location that has local symbolic meaning, like a church hall for a prominent congregation.
Distribute FCNL's "Questions for Candidates" before the debate begins so participants can discuss afterwards how the candidates addressed those issues. Other FCNL tools to have on hand include our presidential candidate profiles and Vote 2004 stickers and buttons. You can find out how to get these tools on our web site.
Stay tuned for more debate-related action tips next week: Letters to the editor and radio talk shows.
Debate Schedule
First presidential debate:
Thursday, September, 30, 2004
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Broadcast on Fox
http://www.miami.edu/debate04/
Vice presidential debate:
Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Broadcast on ABC
http://www.case.edu/vpdebate/content/involved_watch.htm
Second presidential debate:
Friday, October 8, 2004
Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Broadcast on NBC
http://debate.wustl.edu/
Third presidential debate:
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Broadcasting network not yet announced.
http://www.asu.edu/debate/
Each debate will start at 9:00 p.m. EST, last for 90 minutes, and take place before a live audience. The first presidential debate will focus primarily on domestic policy, and the third presidential debate will focus primarily on foreign policy. The town meeting debate and the vice presidential debate will be open to all topics.
For more information on format and candidate eligibility, visit the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) web site: http://www.debates.org/
Dear MoveOn member,
Steve Brozak was angry when he returned from his tour of duty in Iraq last summer. A twenty-one year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Reserves, Brozak felt that he and his friends who put their lives on the line had been misled. Now, instead of getting mad, Steve Brozak is running for Congress.
And he's not alone. All across the country, candidates are running for Congress to make sure that what happened in Iraq never happens again. It's a courageous stand: Republicans are quick to attack and smear anyone who speaks out against the war. So it's up to us to reward these heroes who have put the best interest of the country first.
This week, we've picked out five great candidates in very close races who are steadfastly opposed to the war in Iraq. Can you help put these folks in Congress?
To contribute now, just click here:
https://www.moveonpac.org/give/04endorsed.html
Two years ago, after Congress voted to authorize war on Iraq, we sent out our first "Reward the Heroes" email. We featured four candidates who had taken a principled stand and voted against the war -- even though they knew it could hurt them at the polls. Thanks in part to the enormous outpouring of support from MoveOn members, three of them won. And the fourth, the late and great Paul Wellstone, would have won.
Wellstone's spirit lives on in the candidates we're featuring today.
Ginny Schrader, a tough and experienced public servant running a highly contested race in Pennsylvania, has been clear and consistent about her view on the war. On the campaign trail recently, she said, "I believe we were misled into a war we should not have been in. This has cost us dearly in lives, resources and our standing in the world."
Dianne Farrell, a longtime community activist from Westport, Connecticut says, "Prior to the invasion, I was on record as having strongly urged our administration not to take military action in Iraq without first obtaining multi-lateral support from our NATO allies and the United Nations. I have been deeply concerned by the current Administration's headlong rush into war with Iraq." Farrell's opponent, Chris Shays, has strongly supported the war.
Jim Sullivan is running in eastern Connecticut's second district against a conservative Bush supporter. Jim doesn't pull his punches: "Instead of seeing the effort [in Afghanistan] through to completion," he says, "the Bush Administration conducted a bait-and-switch, leading America into a war in Iraq that was not essential to our national security."
Last but not least is John Salazar, a potato farmer, veteran, legislator, and the older brother of Colorado Attorney General and MoveOn-endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Ken Salazar. If he wins, John will be the first Hispanic person to be elected to Congress from Colorado.
John's opponent attacked him for his anti-war position, saying "I want to protect America -- to win the war on terrorism -- a war my opponent thinks is just about oil." Together, we can fire him and put a new leader in Congress.
As candidate Dianne Farrell articulately wrote, "This war has alienated our allies, solidified the US position as an object of resentment and mistrust in most of the Arab World, destroyed much of Iraq's infrastructure and increased its ethnic strife and increased global terrorist activity. A huge economic burden has been placed on the United States to fund a war entered into without a strong, committed coalition. Worst of all, the Administration's lack of an exit plan has resulted in the tragic loss of life of hundreds of our American servicemen and citizens as well as thousands of Iraqis."
We agree with Dianne. And by electing principled and courageous leaders like her, we can make sure that what happened in Iraq never happens again.
Your contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more will go a long way in these five important U.S. House races.
Give now at:
https://www.moveonpac.org/give/04endorsed.html
We need more leaders in Washington who will stand up and speak for us. Let's elect some of them in November.
Sincerely,
--Hannah Pingree
MoveOn PAC
September 23rd, 2004
Authorized by:
Schrader For Congress
Brozak for Congress
Sullivan for Congress Committee
Farrell for Congress
John Salazar for Congress
PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC
Have Fun while You Watch Bush “Debate” Kerry
Then Do Something to Get Kerry Elected
Play Presidential Debate Bingo!
First Debate is Thursday, September 30
Click here http://www.showgeorgethedoor.org/bingo to get your “Presidential Debate” PartyPak, with everything you need to
1) Play Presidential Debate Bingo,
2) Throw a Fun Debate Party, and
3) Help Beat Bush in November.
There has just been agreement on the presidential debate schedule, and many of us will be gathering to tune in. After playing Presidential Debate Bingo and watching W spin his way through the debates, you and your friends will be ready to do something to Show George the Door.
“Presidential Debate Bingo”? You play with bingo cards containing words or phrases that Bush or Kerry might utter during the debate.
As you watch the debate, cross off phrases (such as “Massachusetts Senator,” “Evil Doer,” and “Raise Your Taxes”) on your card, as you would in normal bingo. The first person to cross off a row of words-vertical, horizontal, or diagonal-cries “Bushingo!” and wins a PantsOnFire plush doll!
A Party in a Box
TrueMajorityACTION’s “Presidential Debate Bingo” party-in-a-box has everything you need for a fun-and productive-party, including all this:
12 Presidential Debate Bingo cards. Each card has a different set of words or phrases.
Pack of Lies cards. This unique 52-card deck has a Bush whopper-and the truth, with a credible citation-on each card. Use the cards as a quick reference to call Bush on his lies during the debates.
“Show George the Door” coasters and napkins. These accessories will provide a festive atmosphere.
Pants on Fire Doll. We suggest giving this to the winner of Presidential Debate Bingo. It’s a 12-inch vinyl doll of W with his pants aflame. To get this classy doll, some of your friends may be tempted to cheat at bingo. (To avoid this, serious players could tape the debate to verify the accuracy of the winner’s card.)
Instructions. Find out how to throw a great house party.
12 pairs of nose clips. For the party guests to wear when Bush makes his final remarks!
50 Ways You Can Show George the Door book. Authored by Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s, and Jason Salzman, this book explains how you can make a difference this election season. Bush quotes, called “Bushisms,” sprinkled throughout the book are good for reading before and after the debate.
Bushocchio. You get six lies on Pinocchio-style noses and a poster of a noseless Bush. Play it like pin the tail on the donkey, except you try to pin the nose on Bush!
Show George the Door Stickers.
Vote-by-Mail REQUEST forms. They make it easy for you and your Debate Party guests to cast your ballots securely and early, so no personal distractions or computer voting glitches on Election Day will prevent your vote from getting counted (available in 20 states).
You also get a page of instructions so that after the Bingo is over, and the urgency of defeating Bush rises, you and your guests will have a full menu of options on how to make a difference.
You get all this at our cost of $29.50. TrueMajorityACTION makes nothing on these PartyPaks; we’re just getting this stuff out into your hands so you can help Show George the Door. Orders received by noon, Friday, September 24, Eastern time, will be delivered to you in time for your September 30 Debate Party.
Click here to order yours now. http://www.showgeorgethedoor.org/bingo
So have a party, watch the debate, play bingo, and boot Bush!
Ben
P.S. IF YOU CAN’T THROW YOUR PARTY ON SEPTEMBER 30, DON’T WORRY. BUSH AND KERRY WILL ALSO DEBATE ON OCTOBER 8 AND OCTOBER 13 (AND CHENEY DEBATES EDWARDS ON OCTOBER 5). For more information on the debates, visit www.debates.org.
Paid for by TrueMajorityACTION PAC and not authorized by any candidate nor candidate's committee.
Contributions to TrueMajorityACTION PAC are not tax deductible and are limited by federal law to $5,000 per person per calendar year.
Dear Amy,
They control the White House, the Senate, the House, the Supreme Court and more state legislatures than ever. The right wing has never been more powerful - nor more bankrupt.
Because their ideas are out of step with the needs and the desires of the American people, their candidates use distraction and smear tactics to win. And, in between election cycles, they rely on their political machine to echo their false claims over and over to transform their lies into accepted wisdom.
That's why it's more essential than ever for progressives to argue our case, cut through the right-wing clamor, and show Americans that another way is possible. And that's why we at the Campaign for America's Future have rolled out Straight Talk:
http://straighttalk.ourfuture.org
Straight Talk is a content-packed issue guide designed to arm candidates, activists and political junkies with arguments and messages to challenge the right, and begin to take back America.
From education and health care to the economy and national security, Straight Talk offers talking points, polling, and facts to argue our case for America's future.
http://straighttalk.ourfuture.org
Straight Talk is also interactive - a living document that you can help to shape. Hundreds of people have already come to share personal stories and facts to help cut through the rhetoric of the right, and let the world know what's really happening in America today...and what needs to change.
These stories have already been picked up by the media, as well as politicians and activists working to challenge the right. When, for instance, "Jennifer D." of Portland, Oregon, posted a story about her family's struggles with sky-rocketing health care costs, she caught the attention of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
Today, when Pelosi and other House Democrats unveiled their "New Partnership for America's Future" on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, Jennifer and her family were there to share the podium with them. Jennifer told her story in front of the national news media and helped underscore the reality of the right wing's failing health care strategies as well as the strength of progressive alternatives.
So whether you're fed up with the fact-free rhetoric of the president and want a dose of reality, or are working to promote progressive political change, join us in some Straight Talk.
http://straighttalk.ourfuture.org
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Borosage, Co-Director
Campaign for America's Future
P.S. If you like what you see at Straight Talk, please contribute to help us spread it far and wide! We want to publicize the growing collection of rhetoric-busting facts and personal stories across the country through the news media, Capitol Hill and paid advertising. Your contribution will help us to do that:
https://secure.ctsg.com/ourfuture/donate_straighttalk.asp
President Bush says "our strategy is succeeding" in Iraq. But the facts tell a different story, and so does the CIA. Senator Graham is pushing for the CIA's most recent report on Iraq to be made public. Join us in calling on Bush to release it -- sign our petition now.
Click to Sign
Dear MoveOn member,
To hear President Bush tell it, Iraq is a bed of roses: "Our strategy is succeeding," he said last week. Yesterday at the U.N., he said Iraq is "on the path to democracy and freedom."
Yet the CIA told Bush recently that the scenarios we're really facing there range from a quagmire to a bloodbath. The CIA's July report outlines three possibilities for Iraq, ranging from "an Iraq whose stability would remain tenuous" to "civil war," according to the New York Times. [1]
Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) is calling on Bush to level with us, by releasing the report, formally called a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), to the public. Graham, the former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has read the NIE, and he thinks we all should see it too.
Join Senator Graham in demanding that President Bush to face the facts and tell us the truth about Iraq, by releasing the NIE, at:
http://www.moveon.org/tellthetruth/
It's not just Democrats who are questioning the President's grip on reality.
Senator Chuck Hagel (NE), a Republican, says: "The worst thing we can do is hold ourselves hostage to some grand illusion that we're winning. Right now, we are not winning. Things are getting worse." [2] "The fact is, we're in trouble. We're in deep trouble in Iraq." [3]
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) also supports releasing the NIE [4] and says: "We made serious mistakes right after the initial successes by not having enough troops there on the ground, by allowing the looting, by not securing the borders." [3]
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), says "he believes the situation in Iraq is going to get worse before it gets better, adding that he believes the administration has done a 'poor job of implementing and adjusting at times.'" and says "We do not need to paint a rosy scenario for the American people...." [3]
Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) says it's "exasperating for anybody look at this from any vantage point." [1]
Those are Republicans talking. Here's what the generals and national security experts are saying, in a terrific recent piece in the UK's Guardian newspaper:
Retired general William Odom, former head of the National Security Agency, said: "Bush hasn't found the WMD. Al-Qaida, it's worse, he's lost on that front. That he's going to achieve a democracy there? That goal is lost, too. It's lost." He adds: "Right now, the course we're on, we're achieving Bin Laden's ends."
Retired general Joseph Hoare, the former marine commandant and head of US Central Command, [said]: "The idea that this is going to go the way these guys planned is ludicrous. There are no good options.... The priorities are just all wrong."
Jeffrey Record, professor of strategy at the Air War College, said: "I see no ray of light on the horizon at all. The worst case has become true..."
W. Andrew Terrill, professor at the Army War College's strategic studies institute -- and the top expert on Iraq there -- said: "I don't think that you can kill the insurgency"... "The idea there are x number of insurgents, and that when they're all dead we can get out is wrong. The insurgency has shown an ability to regenerate itself because there are people willing to fill the ranks of those who are killed"... "Most Iraqis consider us occupiers, not liberators."
General Odom [also] said: "This is far graver than Vietnam. There wasn't as much at stake strategically, though in both cases we mindlessly went ahead with the war that was not constructive for US aims. But now we're in a region far more volatile, and we're in much worse shape with our allies."... "I've never seen [tensions] so bad between the office of the secretary of defence and the military. There's a significant majority believing this is a disaster." [5]
Just as important are the opinions of those whose loved ones are serving in Iraq, like Martha Jo McCarthy, whose husband is on National Guard duty there. She says:
"Everyone supports the troops, and I know they're doing a phenomenal job over there, not only fighting but building schools and digging wells. But supporting the troops has to mean something more than putting yellow-ribbon magnets on your car and praying they come home safely."
"I read the casualty Web site every day and ask myself, 'Do I feel safer here?' No. I don't think we can win this war through arrogance. Arrogance is different from strength. Strength requires wisdom, and I think we need to change from arrogance to solid strength." [6]
Join Senator Graham now in calling on President Bush to face the facts and level with us, by releasing the CIA's report, at:
http://www.moveon.org/tellthetruth/
President Bush has got to tell us the truth about Iraq. No weapons of mass destruction. No Saddam-al Qaeda connection. The mission is not accomplished. The transition has not been peaceful and stable. Attacks on our troops are increasing, not decreasing. These failures lie solely with the president, and he owes us an honest explanation.
Thanks for signing our petition today, and for everything you do.
Sincerely,
--Carrie, Joan, Lee, Marika, Noah, Peter, and Wes
The MoveOn.org Team
September 22nd, 2004
Footnotes:
(See our website for links to these articles)
[1] New York Times: U.S. Intelligence Shows Pessimism on Iraq's Future
September 16th, 2004
[2] Washington Post editorial: Mr. Bush and Iraq
September 18th, 2004
[3] Washington Post: Three GOP Senators Urge Refocusing of Iraq Policy
September 19th, 2004
[4] 'FOX News Sunday', September 19th, 2004, transcript
[5] The Guardian (UK): Far graver than Vietnam (opinion piece by
Sidney Blumenthal, Washington Bureau Chief of Salon.com)
September 16th, 2004
[6] Washington Post: Quiet Calls for Change (column by David Broder)
September 16th, 2004
Help Win Back The Senate!
Click here to contribute to Ken Salazar in Colorado
Dear Amy:
As election day nears, John Kerry and George W. Bush are locked in a tight struggle for the White House. While some Democratic pundits have been openly nervous about John Kerry's chances for victory, Council for a Livable World believes the race is still too close to call.
In the meantime, we are working hard to return control of the Senate to the Democrats. Winning control of the United States Senate is second in importance only to winning the Presidency. No matter who becomes President in 2005, a Democratic Senate will be vital to returning the United States to a more balanced national security policy and begin the process of returning to a sensible foreign policy consistent with the ideals of the nation.
Last week we told you about Betty Castor in Florida, this week we highlight Ken Salazar in Colorado.
Colorado Republican Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell's surprise decision this March to retire transformed a certain Republican victory into a toss up contest raising Democratic hopes for regaining control of the U.S. Senate. The Democratic nominee is Ken Salazar, the Colorado Attorney General, who is well-known and well-respected in the state. He is running against another widely recognized Colorado name, Peter Coors, Chairman of Coors Brewing Company.
Click here to support Ken Salazar
In 1998, Salazar won an open position as state attorney general, defeating a prominent Republican and becoming the first Hispanic American to be elected to statewide office in Colorado. As Attorney General, he reaffirmed his reputation as a conciliator and pragmatist, particularly on issues such as land-use, water rights, environmental protection, seniors and consumer protection. He handled with sensitivity the aftermath of the Columbine massacre which took place only a few months after he assumed office.
Salazar has criticized President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq. He pointed out that the strong international support for the United States after the September 11 attacks has been eroded by the Administration's blunders in Iraq and its failure to plan for the peace. Salazar has stated that "Our government must be honest about intelligence failures . . . and the failure to anticipate the challenges in Iraq."
He has also argued for rebuilding the international alliances that the Administration has shattered: "To lead and to win the war on terror, we must move away from the arrogance of power that has sometimes characterized our foreign policy these past few years, reinvigorate our diplomacy, and rebuild our international coalitions." He criticizes the Patriot Act because "it goes too far in compromising cherished civil rights for uncertain benefits."
Salazar opposes building a new generation of nuclear weapons and supports a major increase in programs designed to keep nuclear weapons and materials out of the hands of terrorists, including the Nunn-Lugar program for the former Soviet Union. He advocates ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and urges strong verification measures for all international agreements.
The Coors family is one of the major funders of far right organizations, including the Heritage Foundation, on whose board Peter Coors' mother serves. Coors family funding has played a crucial role in the maintenance of key organizations for both the New Right and the Religious Right. Peter Coors is a 100% down-the-line supporter of George W. Bush and backs the Administration's war in Iraq and its go-it-alone policies.
The race is close. The most recent public opinion poll from June showed Salazar in front of Coors 53% - 42%, but these numbers will narrow.
Click here for more information about this race.
Click here to help Ken Salazar win back the Senate
Sincerely,
John Isaacs & Guy Stevens
1,000 brave Americans can't vote against the man who sent them to die in Iraq for his lies.
But YOU can.
Honor our soldiers.
VOTE NOVEMBER 2ND!
Brooke Campbell lost her brother, Sergeant Ryan M. Campbell, in Iraq on April 29, 2004. In his last letter to her, Ryan wrote, "Just do me one big favor, OK? Don't vote for Bush. No. Just don't do it. I would not be happy with you." - To Whom it May Concern by Brooke M. Campbell 9-3-04
Vote for them - sign the pledge.
http://democrats.com/1000
Your vote matters. That's why we're emailing to remind you that your state's voter registration deadline for the General Election is coming soon.
To cast your vote for President and your state and local candidates in the upcoming General Election, you must register to vote by your state's deadline.
If you haven't already done so, click here to complete a voter registration form.
Are you sure you were added to the voter registration rolls in your state? Call your Secretary of State to confirm that you will be able to vote on Election Day. You can find your Secretary of State's phone number as well as information about voting-related deadlines by clicking here.
Can one vote make a difference? One vote can make a difference! Just ask the folks in Florida, where the margin of victory in the 2000 presidential election was 537 votes. If you're interested in helping us protect voters' rights on November 2, check out www.ElectionProtection.org.
After you've completed the form online, you must print, sign, stamp and mail it to your Secretary of State. This email is intended to provide information and as a reminder only. If you have questions or concerns about your voter registration status, ID requirements or polling place location, please consult your Secretary of State or the Federal Elections Commission.
YourVoteMatters.org is a non-partisan voter registration Web site brought to you by Working Assets.
If you haven't already, go to YourVoteMatters.org and complete a voter registration form.
Dear MoveOn member,
The war in Iraq is President Bush's signature failure. To reduce the damage the war has caused him, Bush and his campaign operatives have spent the last six months attacking and distorting John Kerry's position on Iraq. But yesterday, in a powerful speech in New York, Kerry set the record straight.
John Kerry laid out a plan to end Bush's irrational, deceptive and unilateral policy in Iraq, and pursue a policy of international cooperation to end the worsening insurgency and rebuild Iraq -- and bring our troops home. And Kerry made it clear that we would not be in Iraq today if he were president.
The action today is simple: if you like what you hear from Kerry in the speech below, pass this email on to your friends, neighbors, co-workers -- anyone who wants to hear from you on this issue. It's critical that progressives like us spread the word that John Kerry is fighting back on Iraq.
We've excerpted a few of the highlights, below. You can read the whole thing at:
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0920.html
Here are the main points from Kerry's speech on Iraq yesterday:
The war on Iraq was a mistake -- war was unnecessary because the inspections were working: "Today, President Bush tells us that he would do everything all over again, the same way. How can he possibly be serious? Is he really saying that if we knew there were no imminent threat, no weapons of mass destruction, no ties to Al Qaeda, the United States should have invaded Iraq? My answer is no -- because a commander in chief's first responsibility is to make a wise and responsible decision to keep America safe."
Iraq distracted from the war on terror: "The president claims it is the centerpiece of his war on terror. In fact, Iraq was a profound diversion from that war and the battle against our greatest enemy, Osama bin Laden and the terrorists. Invading Iraq has created a crisis of historic proportions and, if we do not change course, there is the prospect of a war with no end in sight."
President Bush misled us about the reasons for the war before it occurred: "He failed to tell the truth about the rationale for going to war. And he failed to tell the truth about the burden this war would impose on our soldiers and our citizens. By one count, the president offered 23 different rationales for this war."
President Bush is still misleading people about Iraq, painting an optimistic picture directly contradicted by his own intelligence officials: "In June, the president declared, 'The Iraqi people have their country back.' Just last week, he told us: 'This country is headed toward democracy. Freedom is on the march.' But the Administration's own official intelligence estimate, given to the president last July, tells a very different story. According to press reports, the intelligence estimate totally contradicts what the president is saying to the American people."
Bush went to war for ideological reasons and consistently misjudged the situation on the ground: "This president was in denial. He hitched his wagon to the ideologues who surround him, filtering out those who disagreed, including leaders of his own party and the uniformed military. The result is a long litany of misjudgments with terrible consequences. The administration told us we'd be greeted as liberators. They were wrong. They told us not to worry about looting or the sorry state of Iraq's infrastructure. They were wrong. They told us we had enough troops to provide security and stability, defeat the insurgents, guard the borders and secure the arms depots. They were wrong. They told us we could rely on exiles like Ahmed Chalabi to build political legitimacy. They were wrong. They told us we would quickly restore an Iraqi civil service to run the country and a police force and army to secure it. They were wrong. In Iraq, this administration has consistently over-promised and under-performed. This policy has been plagued by a lack of planning, an absence of candor, arrogance and outright incompetence. And the president has held no one accountable, including himself."
John Kerry has a four-point plan to fix our Iraq policy:
"First, the president has to get the promised international support so our men and women in uniform don't have to go it alone. It is late; the president must respond by moving this week to gain and regain international support. The president should convene a summit meeting of the world's major powers and Iraq's neighbors, this week, in New York, where many leaders will attend the U.N. General Assembly. He should insist that they make good on that U.N. resolution. He should offer potential troop contributors specific, but critical roles, in training Iraqi security personnel and securing Iraq's borders. He should give other countries a stake in Iraq's future by encouraging them to help develop Iraq's oil resources and by letting them bid on contracts instead of locking them out of the reconstruction process."
"Second, the president must get serious about training Iraqi security forces. The president should urgently expand the security forces training program inside and outside Iraq. He should strengthen the vetting of recruits, double classroom training time, and require follow-on field training. He should recruit thousands of qualified trainers from our allies, especially those who have no troops in Iraq. He should press our NATO allies to open training centers in their countries. And he should stop misleading the American people with phony, inflated numbers."
"Third, the president must carry out a reconstruction plan that finally brings tangible benefits to the Iraqi people. One year ago, the administration asked for and received $18 billion to help the Iraqis and relieve the conditions that contribute to the insurgency. Today, less than a $1 billion of those funds have actually been spent. I said at the time that we had to rethink our policies and set standards of accountability. Now we're paying the price. Now, the president should look at the whole reconstruction package, draw up a list of high visibility, quick impact projects, and cut through the red tape. He should use more Iraqi contractors and workers, instead of big corporations like Halliburton. He should stop paying companies under investigation for fraud or corruption. And he should fire the civilians in the Pentagon responsible for mismanaging the reconstruction effort."
"Fourth, the president must take immediate, urgent, essential steps to guarantee the promised elections can be held next year. If the president would move in this direction, if he would bring in more help from other countries to provide resources and forces, train the Iraqis to provide their own security, develop a reconstruction plan that brings real benefits to the Iraqi people, and take the steps necessary to hold credible elections next year -- we could begin to withdraw U.S. forces starting next summer and realistically aim to bring all our troops home within the next four years."
Most people will see a second or two of the speech, if they see it at all. But by forwarding this email to your friends and family, you can help make sure people get a full picture of Kerry's position on Iraq -- in his own words. And you can read the whole speech at:
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0920.html
Thanks for everything,
--Eli Pariser
Executive Director, MoveOn PAC
Tuesday, September 21st, 2004
PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC www.moveonpac.org
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Dear friend in Alaska,
Your state’s voter registration deadline is October 3. It's time for the final push to get Friends and others in our communities registered to vote. Does it seem like everyone you know is registered? Please ask! Young people, those who have recently moved, and even some of your most politically active friends may not be registered.
To verify your state's registration deadline, register, or get information about absentee or early voting, go to http://capwiz.com/fconl/e4/? then enter your zip code.
Your efforts will help build our increasingly successful Vote 2004 campaign. Our supporters have been registering voters across the nation--at farmer's markets, in schools and libraries, at festivals, and in front of local stores. They have been talking about voter registration on the radio and in houses of worship. Hundreds have contacted our staff to order materials or make donations. Our staff have called over 300 Friends churches and meetings and are mailing out stacks of materials on a daily basis. We are ramping up our efforts in these final weeks, and we need you to do so too!
Remember: Wear your Vote 2004 button each Tuesday through Election Day. Need a button? A bumper sticker? Questions for Candidates? We have lots of materials for you to promote voting in your community. Order online today at http://www.fcnl.org/elections_2004.htm
To sign up for weekly email updates on FCNL's Vote 2004 campaign, go to http://www.fcnl.org/listserv/quaker_issues.php
Time to help build democracy by boosting civic engagement. Let's make these last weeks really count!
Sincerely,
Kathy Guthrie
Field Program Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation
(800) 630-1330
P.S. If you no longer live in this state, please go to http://capwiz.com/fconl/mlm/ to update your contact information. Thank you.
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